The defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs have what can be only be referred to as an embarrassment of riches in the starting pitching department. One spot among the five starters is still in question, and it looks like it might include Mike Montgomery and Brett Anderson.
Heading into the campaign where the Cubs try to defend the title won after ending the drought dating back to 1908, not many holes or questions marks are evident. Will the depth in the bullpen hold up? Can they find a lead-off man to produce like Dexter Fowler? One of these questions that hasn’t been answered is who takes the ball on the fifth turn.
Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrieta and John Lackey return. However, Jason Hammel, who won fifteen games in 2016, moved on to the Kansas City Royals. Currently the Cubs plan on using both Mike Montgomery, who they obtained last season, and offseason acquisition Brett Anderson.
The Cubs surely do not anticipate this to be an issue. Cubs manager Joe Maddon explained the current plan, per ESPN.com:
"“Neither one has really been stretched out anywhere close to 200 innings over the last couple of years, so we’re thinking it’s almost like a hybrid moment,” Maddon explained. “Almost fold one back into the bullpen for a bit while the other one starts and vice versa. Or jump a sixth guy in there now and then to keep the other guys from being overworked too early.”"
Montgomery most certainly has the Cubs’ trust after his heroics in the ending of the World Series in Cleveland last season. Being on the mound for the final out will be a memory that likely won’t fade soon for many Cubs fans. The 27-year-old lefty hasn’t gotten many opportunities to start in his two seasons in the majors between Seattle and Chicago, but he has been successful in his swing role thus far.
Montgomery commented to the Daily Herald on the matter:
"“With my mentality, just come in as a starter, get in that routine and just physically prepare for that,” Montgomery said after his start. “Yeah, there’s a lot of different possibilities they could go with, but for me it’s just continue to build my arm strength and just get my timing down, mechanics down. That way I’m ready to go and do whatever it is that they need me to.”"
How Montgomery will do with more chances in the starting rotation remains to be seen.
The Cubs also brought in veteran lefty Brett Anderson in the offseason. Once finishing sixth in the Rookie of the Year voting with Oakland, Anderson is battling back from two back surgeries that affected both the 2014 and 2016 campaigns. A ground-ball pitcher, Anderson could eat up many innings for the Cubs if healthy.
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Another potential option is former Cubs second-round pick Rob Zastryzny, who could be the third left-handed option for Maddon for the fifth, or potentially sixth spot in the rotation. All three could also prove their worth to move up in the rotation with possible retirement looming for John Lackey and free agency for Jake Arrieta.